


Winnower's Chosen

by Dust (sugoi)



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drabble, Drama, M/M, The Darkness (Destiny) - Freeform, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29582925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugoi/pseuds/Dust
Summary: This creature comfort doesn't mean that he didn't question the Exo's motives, Zavala isn't blind...Cayde-six was dead, and had somehow risen from his grave for a reason, and he was in the tower with a purpose, deep down in his gut he knew it was likely no good, even if he seemed like a harmless specter, Zavala was certain that was simply what he wanted him to assume, a lie he would wholly indulge himself in had he not had the weight of a millions lives weighing on his conscious
Relationships: Cayde-6/Zavala (Destiny)
Kudos: 9





	Winnower's Chosen

**Author's Note:**

> Just a nagging plot bunny i had to cull,  
> Needed to write, cayde was on my mind. After that spooky mission .
> 
> Only a what if scenarios.

He comes and goes much like he would had he not been chained within the tower like an unruly dog by the vanguard, it's sometimes days, sometimes weeks before Zavala catches a glimpse of the tail end of the previous hunter vanguard's cape.

He slinks around the tower, like a cat melds into the shadows, but the Titan isn't worried he will vanish again, Cayde-6 always circles back, returning to the commander like a weary stray.

Many times Zavala has offered to address him as Cayde-7 but the Exo repeatedly tells him "No" that he is the same Cayde..and six is his favorite number, He also chides that they have no faith in him, with a dramatic gesture of mock hurt, and admits he's amazed that Ikora still has the emotional energy the cry for him after so long.

He tells Zavala he failed terribly in keeping her grounded, and playfully reprimands him for leaving her to mourn alone, the insensitive jab of a comment was bait, the titan vanguard knew this, but it still made him want to pummel the Exo no less.

Cayde-6 was a man strangled by nerves and the lack of means to break free of the shackles that bound him to the mask he wore, This Cayde while crueler is no different, his sympathy guised in a cold offhand remark.

It was worse that Zavala knew the Exo was right, but he never asked why the hunter never sought her out, revealed himself to her, soothed her worry, let her know he was back..from the dead without an ounce of light in his system..it was an unspoken truth that both man and Exo know he was here for Zavala, the idea that Cayde planned to go anywhere near Ikora terrified him, and he wasn't certain why...

His old friend trailed after him like a familiar shadow, but there was no mistaking the cold static from the beyond that clung to his chassis, his bright cyan optics held a new hunger and what he sought to glean from the titan vanguard was a answer hanging just out of reach, more often than not Zavala found himself wondering if he even wanted to know the answer..

Cayde always spoke, even now he filled the silence with his words, forcing his opinions where no one asked, whereas before the disturbance would have irritated the titan, Zavala found the string of words in his ear was welcome, Cayde's ideals made sense all the while sounding immature, unorthodox, and frankly implausible.

It's his silly words that tear at the weight on the commander's shoulders most, the Exo's familiar presence plucking tether by tether of the heavy burdens suffocating the commander with limbs too cold to be that of his long dead friend.

This creature comfort doesn't mean that he didn't question the Exo's motives, Zavala isn't blind...Cayde-six was dead, and had somehow risen from his grave for a reason, and he was in the tower with a purpose, deep down in his gut he knew it was likely no good, even if he seemed like a harmless specter, Zavala was certain that was simply what he wanted him to assume, a lie he would wholly indulge himself in had he not had the weight of a millions lives weighing on his conscious.

So he kept the spectre close, closer than even the warlock vanguard, When the titan vanguard outright accused the Exo of alling with the darkness and by extension fighting against them his fellow comrades, Cayde just laughed in the face of the commander's anger, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Zavala knew he was right and Cayde-6 never denied the accusation, yet his words were more terrifying then if the Exo had, he admitted he was getting tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, the Exo continues onto to elaborate the meaning of his words, all the while shuffling a deck of blank cards through his restless fingers.

He tells the commander that frankly it was a bummer that it was taking so damn long, because until the moment did they would keep fighting a futile petty battle, but his patience will pay off, he was certain because in the end he would be there for them when they were stripped of their divine light and their god abandoned them to the shadows of the darkness like it had so many others.

The hunter vanguard whispers this, as if it was a secret between childhood friends, his voice lilt with conspiracy, and his bright gleaming optics filled with mirth and something else as well, an appeasing leer as if he had been silently begging the vanguard to ask since the moment he manifested from the shadows to haunt him.

Cayde-6 was a great friend and everyone lucky enough to run with the Exo knew that the hunter vanguard was a lier by nature, this Cayde is no different, but tonight Zavala knows the Exo speaks the truth because it is not Cayde-6 or even his confusing doppelganger that speaks to the commander of it's intentions in the small office.

The darkness coiled within its shell of metal and synthetic flesh tells the awoken man, not to be afraid, that no matter what happens, everything will be alright.

It's only hours after the Exo leaves his corridors does the commander feel the warmth seep back into it, the metallic scent of raw metal and earth subsides...but the phantom chill lingering on the back of his neck does not.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading
> 
> Might add onto this, been playing with the idea of the darkness raising champions just like the travelar.
> 
> Might do a chapter on what happens during the season on the hunt. Sound good?


End file.
